How is/was your relationship with your parents?

[Zeeva]

Do you and your folks have a good relationship? Do they love your doggies as much as you do?

I'm pretty lucky in that my parents haven't disowned me for loving my dogs as much as I do and especially for having them inside the house. My mom is controlling and pushy when she wants something. My dad is a gem of a person as well as a gem of a dad. He loves my pups and Zeeva especially goes bonkers over him...

[Stevenzachsmom]

Amina, My mother is a wonderful, loving person who never liked animals. It wasn't cultural, as your situation, but my mother is not an animal person. My father was also wonderful. Sadly, I lost him in 2001. He was an animal lover. He brought my first puppy home to me, when I was four years old. I want to make clear that my mother is very supportive of my love for animals. She understands how much my family and I love our pets and is sad for us when we lose one.

I know you love and respect your parents, as you should. You are an adult. You need to set boundaries for your Mom. You don't need to be nasty or confrontational. You do need to be firm. You can't live your life being pushed around. You cannot live your life trying to please others.

[gaia_bear]

I'm a typical daddy's girl, to this day I still think he's the best thing out there. He's very much an animal lover, I've never had to kennel Gaia she goes to "Grandpa's house" for visits instead. We have an awesome relationship and I wouldn't trade or for the world.

My mother on the other hand is a whole different story, she made some questionable decisions "raising" my brother and I when they were getting divorced and I never developed a mother/daughter relationship with her. For a while we didn't speak, when I was 16/17 she got really sick so I started coming around again but we still have more of a friendship relationship and I feel more comfortable going to my stepmom for a lot of things that one would normally go to their mother about.

Other than that, I'm super close with my parents, grandparents and brother.


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[llombardo]

My mom was a big animal lover and passed that along to me. My dad also loves animals. My animals loved my mom to pieces. They really love when my dad comes over for a visit...the GSD adores him. As far as our relationship...it was rough when I was a teenager, but I came around and we became close again.

[blehmannwa]

I lost my Dad at 17 and my mom died when I was 29. My Dad was weird about pets. He pretended that he didn't like them but he took the responsibility of caring for them very seriously. When my Dad was a toddler, he accidentally killed a young puppy by squeezing it too tightly. That experience scarred him. My cat, Purry, got ran over in 1971 and my Dad paid a whole lot of money to have her leg fixed and to spay her but he never touched her.
My Mom loved animals. She was an Ohio farm girl though and that background gave her a very good idea of just how much work and expense animals require. The idea that a pet is both a responsibility and a luxury is ingrained in me.

[Glamisfoxgurl182]

I get along great with both my parents. And they are just as big of animal lovers as me. And I think they love Gunnar more then their 2 dogs lol. Probably cuz hes just so dang perfect. My dad especially loves when we go away and cant take Gunnar with us. Cuz that means he gets to spend all weekend with him!
My mom would rather take my dog out and about rather then their 2 dogs. I'm very greatful that I was raised always having at least 1 dog around the house. and to treat them as part of the family. rather then jsut a pet.

[mego]

My parents are divorced. My mom is a huge animal lover who shares a lot of interests with me when it comes to dogs, rescuing, etc. We both follow facebook rescue groups and talk about volunteering etc, it's pretty fun. I never used to have much of a relationship with her until I moved out.

My dad doesn't really like dogs. He never let me have one as a kid and acted like they were kinda gross, but he knows I like dogs a lot. After I got my puppy he was really happy for me and always asked for pictures of her :P Then this weekend he came to visit me, it's the first time he's seen her, and I've caught him playing with her, talking to her in a baby voice, and showing her all sorts of things in the house. My brother and I were joking around about "I thought you didn't like dogs" and he's like "well I like this one" I knew her cuteness would win him over! I don't think it would be the same if she wasnt a shep, my dad just cant stand little dogs

[qbchottu]

My entire family - extended included - think I am crazy person (legitimately crazy) because of my involvement with dogs. They are completely over my dogs, dog sport, and showing - although my father made half-hearted attempts now and then to come out to see me train or show. My mum constantly complains that she wishes she never raised me with GSDs haha

Oh well - not my problem. Dogs complete my life - never cared about the naysayers

[AngelaA6]

My relationship with my step dad is fine but my with my mom is awful. I had the typical high expectation Asian mother :/ It took a long time for me to stand up to her expectations. She is actually afraid of animals :/ but I brought Gunther over for thanksgiving and she ended falling in love with him (cleans the floor) she would never let him live there though. I try to put a positive spin on the lack of kids ( I've only been married for six months now) and call Gunther her grandfur-kid. My step dad took right to it and even buys him toys haha.

[Galathiel]

My parents were and are great. My dad has passed away, but instilled in me a great love of animals of all types. He brought 'me' home pets all the time (I think I was his scapegoat). My mother likes animals, but never necessarily wanted them. She preferred a clean, orderly home. However, she never said anything all while we were growing up (there's 4 of us kids) and allowed us to have our pets and even bought me my first German Shepherd as a Christmas present when I was 10. Her only rule --- no rodents!

Once the kids left, they never had any more pets. However, I live next door to them and every day my dog went next door to stay with his granddad (my dad) while I worked until his health deteriorated to the point he couldn't get up and down any more to let him out. My mom loves my dog and my sister's dog (they both visit her all the time), asks about them and is concerned if something is wrong. I'm very lucky in my parents.